DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who rose to international fame after performing at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. Sheku discusses his musical upbringing in a family of seven talented siblings, being surrounded by practice and performances from a young age, and the sacrifices his parents made to support their musical pursuits.
Sheku reflects on the significance of winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at age 17, his experiences with racial prejudice in the classical music world, and his efforts to inspire and mentor young musicians through school visits and community engagement. He also shares his perspectives on music education, the importance of celebrating diverse musical traditions, and his future ambitions, including establishing a music center in Antigua and Barbuda.
Throughout the interview, Sheku discusses his musical selections, which range from classical pieces by composers like Elgar, Haydn, and Mozart, to reggae and folk music that shaped his childhood. He also touches on personal experiences, such as managing his type 1 diabetes diagnosis and the challenges of performing with the condition.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Sheku Kanneh-Mason's remarkable musical talent was nurtured from a young age within a family of seven musically gifted siblings, supported by the sacrifices of his parents.
- Despite facing racial prejudice in the classical music world, Sheku has achieved significant milestones, including winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and performing at high-profile events like the royal wedding.
- Sheku is a passionate advocate for accessible and quality music education, believing in its ability to instill confidence, creativity, discipline, and humility in young minds.
- He aims to use his platform to inspire and mentor the next generation of musicians, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
- Sheku's musical selections reflect a diverse range of influences, from classical composers to reggae and folk music that shaped his childhood.
- He is driven by a continuous pursuit of learning and mastering new pieces, while also managing the challenges of performing with type 1 diabetes.
- Sheku envisions establishing a music center in Antigua and Barbuda, where his grandparents are from, to make it a hub for classical music in the world.
- He remains committed to celebrating diverse musical traditions and advocating for inclusivity within the classical music realm.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Yeah, it was a wonderful experience and opportunity to, particularly in the final, for example, to perform for a big audience on television with a professional orchestra, the experience of playing a concerto. Yeah. Wonderful feeling.“ by Sheku Kanneh-Mason
- “There are like some very immediate things in terms of. I mean, always learning new pieces of music and that keeps me constantly. Yeah, striving for.“ by Sheku Kanneh-Mason
- “I don't think it should be included and I didn't stay for that. That's just my opinion.“ by Sheku Kanneh-Mason
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Episode Information
Desert Island Discs
BBC Radio 4
2/18/24
Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a cellist who came to international attention when he performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. Still only 24, he has performed at a series of high profile locations including the Hollywood Bowl and Downing Street. Last year he was a soloist at the Last Night of the Proms.
Sheku was brought up in Nottingham along with his six siblings who are also extremely talented musicians. At six-years-old he went to a concert by the Nottingham Youth Orchestra where he was transfixed by the cello section. He started having lessons not long afterwards and by the age of nine he’d completed all of his music grades – receiving the highest marks in the country. At 17 he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.
He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and made his debut at the BBC Proms as a soloist with the Chineke! Orchestra in 2017.
In 2020 he was appointed an MBE for services to music and two years later became the Royal Academy of Music’s first Menuhin Visiting Professor of Performance Mentoring.
DISC ONE: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85 - 1st movement: Adagio – Moderato. Composed by Edward Elgar and performed by Jacqueline du Pré, with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli DISC TWO: Rivers of Babylon -The Melodians DISC THREE: Dat - Pluto Shervington DISC FOUR: String Quartet in C major, Op 20 No. 2, Capriccio: Adagio. Composed by Joseph Haydn and performed by The London Haydn Quartet DISC FIVE: Chances Are - Bob Marley DISC SIX: Requiem in D minor, K. 626 , Introitus 1 – Requiem. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and performed by the Monteverdi Choir DISC SEVEN: Symphony No.11 'The Year 1905' - II. The 9th January; Adagio. Composed by Dmitri Shostakovich and performed by The Moscow Philharmonic, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin DISC EIGHT: Largo from Organ Sonata No.5 in C major, BWV 529. Composed by Johan Sebastian Bach and performed by Samuel Feinberg
Book: The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard Feynman Luxury: A cello and strings CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Requiem in D minor, K. 626 , Introitus 1 – Requiem. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and performed by the Monteverdi Choir
Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Paula McGinley